Bale tying mechanism



July 25, 1950 J. L. BARNHILL BALE 'mnc MECHANISM 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 13, 1946 A tor-neg July 25, 1950 J. 1.. BARNHILL BALE 'rmzc MECHANISM l2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 13, 1946 After-neg QM 95 Q b QQW July 25, 1950 J. L. BARNHILL 2,516,445

BALE 'mnc MECHANISM /5 /7 [III I July 25, 1950 J. L. BARNHILL 2,516,445

BALE TYING MECHANISM Filed March is, 1946 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 L m H N R A B L w BALE 'I'YING MEcaANIsu Filed March 13, 1946 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 H van for Jar/e L. Barn/11W July 25, 1950 J. BARNHlLL 2,516,445

BALE TYING MECHANISM Filed March 13, 1946 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 July 25, 1950 J. L. BARNHILL 2,515,445

BALE TYING MECHANISM Filed March 13, 1946 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 /rlven for Jarrel/ L. Barn/71W July 25, 1950 Filed March 13,

J. BARNHILL 2,516,445

BALE TYING MECHANISM 12, Sheets-Sheet 8 July 25, 1950 J. L. BARNHILL BALE TYINC MECHANISM 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed March 13, 1946 Jar-re L. Barn/7i 4 fie/"neg July 25, 1950 J. L. BARNHILL BALE TYING MECHANISM l2 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed March 13, 1946 Illlll l IIH li lllllllllll l I II I l Jam's/l L. 50/"nh/Y/ July 25, 1950 J. 1.. BARNHILL 2,516,445

BALE mus MECHANISM 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed March l3 1946 y 1950 J. BARNHILL 2,516,445 I BALE TYING MECHANISM 7 Filed March 15, 1946 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 Patented July 25, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mmiffimm JarrellLBarnhilLNormamOkla. Application March 13, 1946, Serial No. 210mm. (Cl.lM-20) This invention relates generally to the class of baling presses and pertains particularly to a hay baling and tying mechanism.

A particular object of the present inventionis to provide an apparatus to mechanically and entirely automatically form a bale and place and tie or secure wires around the same, thereby eliminating the necessity of employing'two operators for performing these jobs, as is required upon balers of the type at present in use.

' Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic bale tier which forms a conventional twist knot such as is at present formed by hand in connection with balers, and is designed to continuouslyfeed the tying wire from the completion of one bale to the beginning of ing and discharging the completed bales is mainvide, in a hay baler and tier of the type employing oscillatable arcuate needles for drawing a portion of a tie wire from a spool across an end of the bale into position relative to the secured free end of the wire, a mechanism operating automatically to brake the rotary motion of the wire spool following the retraction of the needles so that the wire will not unreel at a too rapid rate when the press plunger operates for the formation of a new bale.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description of the same proceeds and the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings formin a part of the the next bale so that the operation of baling, ty-

tained continuous without attention on the part of an attendant of the machine, so long asthe machine is continued in operation and materialis fed into the press. 1 Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel wire twisting and cutting mechanism for securing a wire around a completed bale, to gether with novel means for automatically holding that end of the wire, after the wire has been twisted and out, which leads from a spool of wire, whereby the wire is automatically placed around the new bale as the same is formed in the press.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a hay baling and tying mechanism, a twister mechanism and wire end holding mechanism or gripper which are so constructed and arranged that the wire is automatically placed in position in the twister as the bale is formed and as the wire is drawn around one end and one side of the bale.

A-still further object of the invention is to provide a novel rotatable wire twister having a slot in which are laid the ends of .the wire which are joined to .form a twisted tying knot, with novel means for confining the wires in said slot and for releasin the 'wires after the twist or knot has been formed.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a hay bale tier a novel mechanism for taking an end of a wire from a gripping holder and looping the same around a twist pin preparatory to performing the end to end rotation of such pin whereby to effect the formation of the desired tying loop or twist between such end and another portion of the wire and for subsequently severing the said other portion of the wire from the spool and raising and holding the severed end in preparation for the pressing of a new bale.

Still another object of the invention is to prothat the invention is not confined to a strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the inventio as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a conventional illustration inside elevation of a portion of a baling press such, for example, as a. hay baler, showing the application thereto of the wire applying and tying mechanism of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a View in top plan of the press structure showing in top plan a part of the tying mechanism of the present invention.

Figure B is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 lookin toward the rear of the press structure.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 2 through the main operating shaft for the mechanism. and showing a portion of the mechanism in side elevation looking in the direction of the arrows. Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the cam track controlling the operation of the actuator arm in the position which it occupies when the parts are in the relative positions shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 4 showing the fully raised position of the point of a needle, the cover housing for the looper and twister gears being removed to show the looper finger cam track and the relative positions of the looper finger and the wire gripper.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the portion of the actuator arm controlling cam 'track in the position it has assumed when the parts are as 3 and finger are turned preparatory to twisting the knot and the needle actuated portion of the wire drawn back across the opened gripper.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of the portion of the actuator arm controlling cam in the position which it assumes when the parts are as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a view correspondingto Figure 8 showing the twisted condition of the joined portions of the tie wire preparatory to the release or the knot or twist-by the divider pin, the looper finger cam track cover plate being in pomtion in this flxure.

Figure 11 is a tie view of the actuator arm controlling cam track showing the position it assumes when. the parts are in the positions shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken substaniially on the line i2-l2 of Figure 2 through the transverse operating shaft and looking, in the direction of the arrows, toward the center of the mechanism.

Figure 13 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line l3-i3 of Figure 4 showing the wire gripper in raised position preparatory to the starting of the baling operation.

Figure 14 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line i|ll of Figure 8 showing the twister gear with the slot directed upwardly and the wire gripp open and with a portion of the wire laid therein by the lowered needle.

Figure 15 is a view looking down upon the wire gripper when in its raised position as shown in Figure 13, and showing a portion of the looper gear with the looper finger.

Figure 16 is a view looking down upon the wire gripper when in its open position as shown in Figure 14 after the end of the wire has been released to the looper finger and with a new portionofwirelaidinreadytobegripped by the closing of the gripper.

Figure 17 is a view of the toothed side of an auxiliary gear in the periphery of which is formed the cam groove which controls the actuation of the actuator arms.

Figure 18 is a tie view illustrating in one plane the cam groove formed around the periphery of the auxiliary gear shown in Figure 17.

Figure 19 is a view in side elevation and on an enlarged scale of the housing for the looper and twister gears together with the mechanism for transmitting operating power to the driving gear-for the looper gear and the wire gripper, the actuator arms being removed.

Figure 20 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3- of Figure 19.

Figure 21 is a view in elevation of the wire gripper and the control cam track therefor as seen (mm the rear side, the gripper being in elevated and closed or wire gripping position.

Figure 22 is a view looking at the wire engaging law of the gripper arm.

Figure23isaview ofthecamactuatedand knite carrying jaw portion of the gripper.

Figure24isaviewiookingatthe rearside oialoopergearandtwistergearunitwitha portion of the housing for each gear cut away substantially on the line 2l24 of figure 25 and showing the twister gear and divider in elevation in the housing. 4

Figure 25 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 25-26 of Figure 24, looking in Figure 26 is a sectional view taken substanthe direction of the arrows.

tially on the line 26-26 of Figure 24, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 27 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 21-21 of Figure 24, looking in thedirection oi the arrows.

Figure 28 is a view in perspective of the twister gear showing the side thereof or pin is mounted.

Figure 29 is a view in perspective of the divider.

Figure 30 is a view in elevation of that side of the two part housing for a twister gear and looper gear, the twister gear being removed but showing the looper gear in position and showing the looper finger actuating cam track in a wall of the housing.

Figure 31 is a view in elevation of the forward side of the two part looper gear and twister gear housing, a portion of the part housing the looper gear being broken away to show the looper gear and finger in elevation.

Figure 32 is a detail view illustrating the mounting for the looper finger in the looper gear.

Figure 33 is another detail view of the looper finger mounting in the looper gear, looking toward the periphery of the gear.

Figure 34 is a view in plan of the looper gear cover plate.

Figure 35 illustrates a slight modification of the mechanism in which the -wire is introduced into the downwardly directed slot of the twister gear by a two-horned needle whereby the first half revolution operation of the twister gear is eliminated.

in which the divid- Figure 36 illustrates the manner in which the wire is introduced by the two-horned needle into the downwardly directed slot of the twister gear.

Figure 37 illustrates the manner in which the looper gear is rotated after a' portion of the wire is introduced into the twister gear slot, the looper gear rotation being in a direction opposite from the first described embodiment of the invention.

Figure 38 illustrates the manner in which the looper gear housing is divided and showing the use of a single actuator arm shaft.

Figure 39 illustrates one-half of the housing structure shown in Figure 38, looking into the recess which receives a portion of the twister gear.

Figure 40 is a view looking at the modified structure shown in Figure 38, from the forward side.

Figure 41 illustrates still another embodiment oi the invention showing another method of actuating the looper held and of the wire around the divider pin, the figure showing the modified construction as seen when looking rearwardiy of the machine.

Figure 42 is a view in side elevation of the modified construction shown in Figure 41 looking across the press housing slot toward the wire pp Figure 43 is a detail view illustrating the wire gripping looper fingers, in front elevation.

Figure 44 is a view looking toward the edges of the fingers shown in Figure 43, as seen when closed.

Figure 45 is a view corresponding to Figure 44 and showing the fingers separated.

Figure 46 is a view corresponding to Figure 37 but showing the looper ring gear cover plate removed to illustrate the grasping finger actuating cam tracks.

Figure 47 is a diagrammatic view illustrating in one plane the cam groove formed around the through the top or side of which is formed in th part designated II, a suitable opening through which hay may be introduced into the box, to be compressed in the customary well known manner by the continuously reciprocating plunger 12.

While the present invention has been illustrated mounted upon the top of the baler, it is to be understood that it is designed for and may be used upon pick-up balers which havev the opening in the side, with a cutting knife on the plunger.

No details of the driving mechanism for the plunger or other parts of the press box structure are illustrated since such mechanism is standard on hay bale presses and well-known to those familiar with the art and it is, therefore, believed that a; description and illustration of such mechanism is not required.

The bale press box has the usual top wall [3, side walls I4 and under or bottom wall l5 and the side walls l4 are provided with the bearings it which are axially aligned transversely of the press box, and upon each of which is pivotally mounted an end of a side arm I! of a substantially U-shaped needle carrying yoke i8, the intermediate portion IQ of which extends across the underside of the press box.

Attached to the portion is are arcuate wire feed needles 20, the concave side of each needle being directed upwardly as shown. The two wire feed needles are disposed upon opposite sides of the vertical plane of the longitudinal center of the press box and inwardly from the side walls as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and when the needles are in retracted or inoperative position the free ends or points are below the plane of the top surface of the bottom wall 15 as illustrated in Figure 1. Such bottom wall, if not of slatted construction, is provided with suitable openings or slots in the planes of vertical move ment Of the points of the needles to allow the needle points to be swung in arcuate paths upwardly through the press box across the forward end of a completed bale.

Each needle at its free end is provided with an eye 2| through which the baling wire passes and upon the side of the wire away from the needle point, there is pivotally supported within the eye, the needle roller 22, Figure 6, across which the baling wire is drawn when the needle operates to carry the wire across the front end of the completed bale, in the manner hereinafter described.

Any desired number of needles may be provided for carrying a corresponding number of wires around a formed bale and in the present illustration of the invention two needles are shown, with each of which is associated a reel of wire 23, which is suitably rotatably supported upon the underside of the press box forwardly of the free end of the needle. As shown in Figure 1. at thestart of the baling operation with the present mechanism or at the completion of the tying of a completed bale, the starting end portion of the wire, designated 24,- extends rear-' wardly from the reel, through the adjacent needle eye 2| and upwardly through the press box and through the top wall thereof and is secured to the hereinafter described wire holder or gripper.

Since the mechanism may be made to handle one wire or'a number of wires even though the units or parts are shown. in duplicate for the handling of two wires, the description ,will, in the 3 main, be given in the singular as applied to one divider and twister mechanism, for the sake of clarity Supported in suitable bearings at opposite sides of the press box, at the top and substanposition, is the main shaft 26 which extends transversely of the top of the machine and which at one end is formed to provide the crank 21 while at its opposite end it carries a stop clutch gear 28.

At the side of the machine upon which the crank 21 is located the needle actuating arm l'l carries a crank pin 29 which is disposed relatively close to the bearing l6. Connected with this crank pin 29 is'one end of a" connecting rod 30 which, at its other end, is pivotally coupled with the crank 21 of the main shaft 26. Thus when rotary motion is given to the shaft 26, in-the proper'dire'ction, the needles 20 will be moved around the bearings l6 so as to either advance through the press box between a formed hay bale 3|, Figures 6, 8 and 10, and the plunger i2 or to move backwardly to retracted or inoperative position, for the purpose hereinafter described. During such movement each needle either carries a portion of the binding wire from the adjacent reel 23 upwardly across the forward end of the completed bale or pulls down upon and tightens a new starting end portion 24', of the wire, Figure 10, preparatory to the formation of a new bale.

Since at the beginning of the formation of a bale the end of the starting portion 24 of each wire is held or secured, in the manner hereinafter described, above the top of the press box, such portion ofthe wire will extend very nearly or actually straight downwardly through the press box to the retracted end of the needle to which it is connected so as to be in the path of movement of hay which is introduced into the press box in advance of the plunger 12. Thus when the plunger advances such hay will be compressed against the wire or wires and the wire will be payed out from the reel and moved rearwardly in the press box. As the wire is payed out from the reel it will move across the needle eye roller and when the bale of desired size is formed the wire will then pass rearwardly from'the reel along the underside of the formed bale and up across the rear end of the bale and then forwardly along the top of the bale to thepoint where its end is attached. This forwardly extending part of the wire, the end of which is secured as stated, is shown in Figures 4, 6, 8'and 10. Consequently when the needle swings upwardly the wire must-be payed out freely from the reel and after theupwardly drawn portion of the wire is knotted with the secured end, and the wire is cut, in the manner hereinafter described.-

the new end will be held, as also hereinafter described, and the needle in returning to its retracted position pulls the wire back from the secured end straight through the press box. In this retracting action of the needle or reverse movement after the wire has been carried up for the formation of a knot, some slack will form in the wire and it is necessary that this slack be taken up quickly so as to draw the wire tight to facilitate the proper formation of the knot or twist which is hereinafter more fully described. Accordingly there is provided an automatic wire reel braking mechanism which is as follows.

Braking mechanism Connected with each wire reel 23 or with the shaft upon which the reel may be mounted for turning, such, for example, as the shaft 32, is a brake drum 33 and encircling the drum is the two-part brake shoe 34 the parts of which are loosely and adjustably coupled together upon one side of the drum as indicated at 35 in a suitable manner to facilitate tightening the shoes on the drum when desired, while at the oppomte side the ends of the two parts are disposed in crossed relation and spaced to provide the bearing fingers 3i between which is oscillatably supported a cam 37.

Connected with the braking cam 31, is a brake arm 38 which extends rearwardly of the structure or toward the needles.

Pivotally attached as at 3! upon the outer side of each side wall I 4 of the press box, is the downwardly extending tension arm 44 and these arms are connected at their lower ends by the trans-- verse bar 4| which passes beneath the press box. Suitable rollers 42 are carried by this transverse bar, across the undersides of which the wires from the reels 23 pass to the eyes of the adjacent needles.

One or both of the tension arms 40 is operatively coupled with the adjacent needle arm H by the coupling rod 43, suitable spring shock absorbing means 44 forming a part of the connecting rod structure to absorb shocks incident to the actuation of the tensioning arms with the needles. This spring assures that the wire will not be broken by the tension arm rollers 42 when the tension arm moves to normal position because the connection between the connecting rod 43 and the tension arm is spring loaded.

In the vertical plane of each brake arm 28, as shown in Figure 51, the transverse bar 4| carries a spring loaded cam finger 4| which is vertically oscillatable and which is normally urged to swing downwardly from the bar 4| by the spring 4|". This downward swinging of the cam finger 4| under the action of the spring 4|", is limited by the stop s so that the cam finger when engaged against the stop will be directed downwardly and upon the rearward swinging of the bar 4| this finger will engage and move along the top of the brake arm 38 and oscillate the brake arm downwardly so as to tighten the brake and thus hold the adjacent wire reel against rotation. Thus when the needle is returning to its startin position the slack which will he formed in the wire between the reel and the needle will be taken up by the forwardly swinging transverse bar 4| and the reel will be prevented from paying out wire.

The overrunning of the wire reels, when the needle is moving upwardly and taking wire from the reels is prevented by adjusting the tightening means 35 so that a slight drag will be maina 8 tained at all times upon the reel, During this time that the needles are rising and the arms 44 are swinging forwardly, fingers 4l', each of which is carried along the top side of *and bears on a brake arm 34, will be swung back against the tension of the adjacent springs 4|" so that no down thrust will be appreventedjin the manner described, it will be seen that the wire will be drawn tightly through the press 'box across the adjacent end of the formed bale of material.

Trip control mechanism The necessary turning or rocking motion is transmitted to the main shaft 26 through the medium of the power delivering shaft 45 which is operated by any suitable source of power and which carries a stop clutch and gear unit, generally designated 46, which is of standard wellknown cohstruction. Since the stop clutch is a standard and well-known construction it is not deemed necessary to give a detailed illustration and description of the same except to point out that such clutch structure comprises an internal toothed clutch plate 46a. which is secured to the power shaft 45 and, adjacent to the open side of the clutch plate 46a is the gear 46b which is mounted for free rotation on the shaft 45 and is constantly in mesh with the gear 28. The gear 46b has pivotally mounted thereon upon the side adjacent to the clutch plate, a clutch arm 41 which is suitably spring biased so that when it isfree to oscillate one end will move into clutch connection with the plate 460: and thus lock the plate and gear 461) together for simultaneous rotation. The other end of the clutch arm 41 extends beyond the periphery of the gear and plate and normally engages an oscillatable trip pawl 41:: which is suitably spring biased to have one end constantly urged to a position where it will he engaged by the free outer end of the arm 41=fso that the opposite end of the arm will be kept normally out of operative connection with the clutch plate 46c.

Rotatably supported upon the top of the press box,' by suitable bearings 48, is a measuring wheel 49 which carries a trip arm 50. This wheel structure is also of a well-known type and it has a, portion of the periphery extended into the press box to be contacted by the bale as the latter is formed, to be rotated by the bale so that after a predetermined degree of rotation the trip arm 54 will be brought into engagement with the trip rod 5| to eflect movement of the latter.

The trip rod is operatively coupled at its other end with the trip pawl 47a and actuates the pawl to shift it out of engagement with the trip arm 41 to permit the arm to be swung into clutching engagement with the clutch plate 461:. As previously stated the pawl 41a is spring biased to move back into arm stopping position which it does immediately after the trip rod has been shifted so that upon one revolution of the clutch plate the free end of the clutch arm will engage the pawl and the arm will be disengaged from the clutch plate thus stopping the transmission of rotary motion to the shaft 26.

Main shaft gears and looper units. each of which units is desigthe spring loaded camnated, as a whole, 52, carries a main timing gear be hereinafter specifically stated.

The auxiliary gear 54 has, in addition to the two tooth groups 51 and 51a, a peripherial cam track 58, the function of which will be hereinafter described.

The divider and twister units The divider and looper units are positioned rearwardly of the auxiliary gears 54 and each unit, which is in two parts, includes a two-part circular housing 59 which lies in an inclined plane with respect to the top of the press box, extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom. From the upper part of this circular housing there projects a plate 60 which is also divided longitudinally into the two parts designated 50a and 60b.

The two parts of the circular housing 59, which are designated 59a and 59b, and the plate parts 60a and 60b, are spaced to provide a slot 6| which coincides with and is in the vertical plane of a slot 62 extending through and longitudinally of the top of the press box. The slot 6| passes through the radial center of the circular housing as shown.

The plate 60 is so positioned with respect to the arcuate path of travel of the point of the adjacent needle that when such needle is moved upwardly it will pass through the upper end of the slot 6| which extends nearly to the upper end of the plate 60 and will move overthe top of and rearwardly past the upper part of the circular housing and the radial center thereof so as to carry a portion of the binding wire into the central part of the housing.

As it is clearly shown in a number of the figures of the drawings as, for example, Figures 20 and 24, the upper ends of the parts 60a and 60b of the plate 60 are joined together and are secured to form a solid unit, by the transverse securing members, here shown as bolts, 60c.

Supported within the circular housing 59 for free rotation therein is the divider and twister disc or wheel 63 shown in perspective in Figure 28, which has a radial slot opening through and extending from the periphery, slightly beyond its radial center, such slot being designated '64.

The periphery of the disc 63 is provided with gear teeth 65 and rotatably mounted between the two divider discs and meshing with the teeth 65 through suitable openings 59c, is the twister drive gear 66 with which is connected. the articulated shaft 61 which carries the gear pinion 68 which is adapted for driving connection with the teeth of the main timing gear 53, see Figure 2. It will be seen from the foregoing that when rotary movement is imparted to the twister disc the slot 64 of the twister disc will have two positions where it will coincide with the slot 6|. When in the first position, the slot 64 will open downwardly and rearwardly and when in the second position it will open upwardly and forwardly.

The twister disc has one'side face, which is the upper face of the disc when it is in the hou sing 59, provided with the semicircular reces s 69 which receives the major portion of a radially shiftable divider unit which is generally designated 10. As shown in Figure 29 this divider unit from the radial center of which extends, upon the concave side, the tapered divider pin II which, as shown in Figure 27, is adapted, when the unit 10 is shifted radially inwardly, to have its point extended across the inner end of the slot 64, which slot extends, at its inner end, slightly beyond the axial center of the twister disc. When the unit 10 is fully retracted the end of the pin 10 will be completely withdrawn from across the slot 64 as it is shown in Figure 27.

The arcuate portion 10a of the unit II has extending radially from the convex side, the locking arm 12 which rides in a notch 12a in the outer portion of the twister disc, as shown in Figure 27,

the notch being particularly clearly shown in Figure 28.

At diametrically opposite sides of the twister disc housing are formed keeper slots ll into which the outer end of the lock arm I; is designed to be intermittently and successively engaged.

Supported upon the plate 60 and pivotally coupled thereto at the spaced points 15 are divider pin actuator arms 16 which extend in'spaced parallel relation upon opposite sides of the slot 6| across the top side of the disc housing where they terminate in the oppositely outwardly directed extensions 11 which are radial with respect to the disc. Each of these extensions carries the spaced actuator fingers II and IS, the finger 18 being arranged to enter the adjacent slot H when the free end of the arm is shifted inwardly, to engage the end of the adjacent lock arm 12 and move the pin ll inwardly to a position across the slot 64 where, when the disc is turned, the end of the lock arm will slide out of engagement with the finger 18 and into engagement with the inner side of the encircling portion of the disc housing and be retained in this position until the disc turns through half a revolution where the unit 10 may then move outwardly, withdrawing the pin 1! from across the slot 64 and engaging the lock arm in the other slot 14.

The inner finger l8 enters the circular slot Ila when the disc turns. This inner finger 10 engages against the inner face 85 of the part Ila and operates in a suitable radial wall slot 8| in the circular housing to assist the outer finger 18 in actuating the divider pin unit Ill.

At their outer or pivoted ends, as shown in Figure 24, the arms I6 have the inturned terminal portions 82, between the opposing ends of which a loose coupling 83 is established so that upon oscillation of one of the arms movement will be imparted in the opposite direction to the other one.

Operatively coupled with one of the divider actuating arms I8 to oscillate the arm on the axis of the pivot 15, is a rock shaft" which, at the end remote from the arm 16 with which it is coupled, carries a crank 85 which engages in the cam groove or track 58. This groove is suitably formed so that upon rotation of the auxiliary gear wheel 54 desired oscillatory motion will be given to the rock shaft 84 to move the divider actuator fingers inwardy and outwardly in properly timed relation with the other moving parts.

Figure 18 shows the cam groove or track 58 laid out fiat or in its entirety in one view and as shown in this figure the major portion of the groove is straight. This straight portion is designated a. When the crank 85 is engaged in the portion a the lock arm I! will be disengaged from comprises a substantially semicircu1ar body 10a the receiving slots ll of the housing and the twister or wheel will thus be unlocked from the housing and free to rotate. At one end this long portion of the groove extends obliquely across the periphery-of the gear as at b and joins a relatively long straight portion designated 0. When the crank is engaged in this portion the arm 12 will be locked in a recess or notch 14 of the twister gear housing.

' At the end of the portion c the groove extends diagonally back to the opposite side of the gear as indicated at d to the short straight portion e which is at the side of. the gear where, when the crank is engaged therein the arm 12 will be unlocked from the housing and this portion e diagonals back through the portion 1 to the opposite short straight portion g upon the locked side and then this short portion g extends diagonally back through the short diagonal portion h to join the previously referred to longer portion a. The action of these portions of the cam roove will be hereinafter described.

The looper mechanism Adjacent to each twister wheel or disc there is formed integral with the part 59b of circular housing 59, a circular housing designated 86 and having the axis of its radial center perpendicular to the axis of the twister disc housing and freely rotatable within this second circular housing is the annular looper ring 81.

The looper ring lies free for rotation in the circular housing 86 as shown in Figure 30, and in one side of the ring there are formed the gear teeth 88 as shown in Figure 31. The lower part of the housing 86 adjacent to the toothed face of the looper ring or ring gear 81 is cut out as indicated at 86a and most clearly shown in Figures 13, 14, 20 and 30, for the engagement with the ring of a driving gear, as hereinafter described. v

The looper ring has formed therethrough a slot 89 which is radially directed as clearly shown in Figures 31, 32 and 33 and extending across this slot is a pivot pin 89a.

Oscillatably mounted upon the pivot pin 89a, is a wire grasping finger 90 which is adapted, when oscillated in one direction, to extend beyond the outer face of the ring as shown in Figure 32 and when oscillated in the opposite direction is designed to enter the slot 89 to secure the end 24 of the wire at a stage in the operation of the apparatus, as shown in Figures 8, and 14.

The inner end of the looper finger 98 has a laterally directed tail piece 9| which carries a roller 9Ia, as shown in Figure 33, which is adapted to engage in a controlling cam groove.

The tail piece 9| of the looper finger is directed toward the inner wall of the housing 86 in which the looper ring is mounted or, in other words, this tail piece is directed away from the slot 6| as shown in dotted outline in Figure 14 and in full lines in Figure 15.

The inner wall face 86b of the looper ring housing 86 has formed therein the cam groove 92 in which the cam follower roller 9la engages. This cam groove or track 92 has the inwardly offset portions 92a and 92b which oscillate the finger 99 to outwardly swung position, as shown in Figure 30. When this finger is swung outwardly by the ofiset 920. it receives the end portion 24 of the wire from the hereinafter described finger swung inwardly as shown in dotted outline in Figure 30, to secure the end 24 of the wire to carry it over from a first position to a second position. In addition to the fact that the cam track 92 between the two offset portions will maintain the free end of the finger in its swung in position, it will also be seen that the housing wall will maintain the finger in place except in the area opposite to the offset 92b where a sumcient clearance is provided to permit the finger to swing outwardly. Such clearance portion is designated 920.

As shown in Figure 14 where the end 24 of the wire is held; by the finger 90 at the opposite side of the housing 86, adjacent to the offset 92b of the cam groove 92, the wire is secured across the edges of the opening 89 in which the finger is pivotally mounted.

As is readily obvious from a consideration of Figures 13 to 16 and 30-and 31, the face of the wall 86b in which the cam groove 92 is formed,

is in a plane parallel with the slot BI and also the slot 62 which is formed in the top of the press box and, therefore, it will be seen that when the end of the wire 24 is taken by the looper finger from the hereinafter described gripper, such end can be readily carried over from the position in which it is shown in Figure 4 to the position in which it is shown in Figures 8 and 10. The position to which the end 24 of the wire is carried as shown in Figure 8 is in preparation for the twisting action shown in Figure 10. In both of these positions the end 24 is securely held by the looper finger.

The side of the looper ring gear housing 86 adjacent to the slot BI is closed by the cover plate I86, which plate is of somewhat smaller diameter than the looper ring gear, as shown in Figure 4, and is secured in place by screws I81, or any other suitable means.

As shown in Figure 30 the wall 86b of the housing 86 has the opening I88 therein which leads into the adjacent portion 59b of the twopart twister disc housing and the cover plate I86 has a corresponding opening therein as indicated at I89 in Figure 34 for the extension of the twister the rotatably supported shaft 94 and which shaft also has mounted thereon the mutilated small timer gear 95 which is positioned for intermittent toothed connection or engagement with the teeth of the auxiliary timer gear 54.

The wire holder or gripper Mounted upon the shaft 94 of the looper mechanism is a gear pinion which is designated 96 and this gear meshes with a crank gear 91, as shown in Figure 2. Pivotally attached to the crank gear gripper and when the follower enters the offset portion 92b the finger is again swung outwardly to release the end of the wire. Between these oii'set portions the cam track maintains the 18 91 eccentrically thereof as indicated at 98, in Figure '20, is a coupling rod 99 which connects at its other end with the crank I08 which is formed upon the end of the gripper rock shaft I0 I, which extends rearwardlyand terminates adjacent to the forward edge of the looper disc 81. The rear end portion of the rock shaft IBI pases through a the shaft and a cam track as hereinafter stated.

At the rear end of the shaft I! is a wire gripper and cutter unit which is generally designated l05. One part of this unit comprises the relatively long arm its which is secured to the adjacent endof the shaft iiii upon the side of the casting I02 nearest to the forward side of the twister wheel housing part This arm I00 is of sub-. stantial length and terminates in the wire reeeiving jaw portion Itda which, when the gripper is open to receive a new end portion of wire from the needle, lies across the slot 02 as shown in Figures 14 and 20. In this open position of the wire gripper and cutter the arm is swung down as shown and when the arm is swung upwardly in its wire gripping position, as shown in Figures 13 and 21, the arm will be upon the side of the plane of the slots BI and 82 opposite from the looper ring.

Pivotally coupled to the arm I04, at I05, is the movable or active jaw I06. As shown in Figure 22, the arm I04 is provided with a slot I04!) and the movable jaw I 06 has a portion 'I06a of reduced thickness to extend through the slot I04b and the pivot I05 is passed through these two interconnected parts of the gripper.

The jaw I06 co-acts with the wire receiving jaw portion I04a of the arm I04 to grip a wire and there is secured to one side face of the movable. jaw I05 or the side of the jaw which is nearest to the looper ring, a cutting knife I0I which coacts with the adjacent part of the arm I04 to sever the newly laid in wire portion 24 after the tying of a bale is completed and the parts are in order for the pressing and tying of a newbale.

The end portion of the movable jaw I06 which is upon the opposite side of the arm I04 from thehead of the jaw I 06, is formed to provide the laterally extending finger I00 which terminates in the cam follower member I08a. This finger I08 is directed toward the adjacent side of the casting I02 and the follower portion MM is slidably engaged in the cam slot 109 which is formed in the adjacent face of the casting I02, as shown in Figure 21. As is also clearly shown in this figure, when the arm is raised to upright position and is cooperating with the movable jaw I06 to grasp or hold the end 24 of the wire, as shown in Figure 13, the follower I08a will be at the upper end of the cam slot I09 and the movable jaw head.

will be upon the side of the part I04a of the arm I04, remote from the plane of the slots SI and 62. When the shaft IN is oscillated in the proper direction to swing the arm I04 downwardly the wire receiving portion I04a of the arm I04 moves down to position across the slot-62 as shown in Figure 20 but the final position of the movable jaw I 06 is vertical as shown in Figure 14.

It is also to be noted that when the wire holder or gripper i in wire gripping position as shown in Figure 13, the looper ring finger will be in the position in which it is shown in Figure 13, that is, it will be somewhat below the elevation of the secured end 24 of the wire and projecting outwardly and the cam follower 9Ia of the looper finger will be adjacent to the upper end of the offset portion 92a of the cam groove 92 so that upon rotation of the looper ring counter-clockwise as viewed in Figures 4, 6, 8 and 10 and also in Figure 30, the finger will quickly close. While the finger is moving up and closing the wire gripper unit I03 will be swinging down from the position in which it is hown in Figure 13 and will open at the proper moment to transfer the end of the wire to the looper finger which will close on the wire and secure it and carry it over to the position in which it is shown in Figure 14 and also in Figures 8 and 10.

L Operation In the operation of the mechanism described, when the needles 20 are in lowered position as shown in Figure 1, the twister disc or wheel is disposed so that the slot 0t thereof is directed, or has its open side directed, toward the rear end of the baler or press box and the wire gripping unit I05 is in raised position and has the free end of the baling wire secured between its jaws so that the previously referred to end portion 24% of the wire passes down through the forward end of the press box, through the eye of the needle and under the roller 42 of the tension arm 30 to the wire reel.

As the hay is introduced into the press and the plunger compacts it so as to fill up the forward end of the press boxthe bale causes the measuring wheel 49 to turn in the well-known manner until the desired bale size has been reached. During this process the wire will be drawn off from the reel and will pass across the rear end of the bale and lengthwise thereof upon the top and bottom sides. As the wire is pulled toward the rear from the jaws of the gripping arm it will be pulled up into the slot 64 of the twister disc and since the divider pin 'II will be in the outer or withdrawn position, as shown in Figure 24, the wire enters into the end or crotch of the slot, and is maintained in the position in which it is shown in Figure 4%.

When the full bale size has been reached, the clutch 40 is actuated to start the necessary turning of the main shaft 26 to transmit motion from the main shaft gears to cause operation of the different units in the proper sequence.

At the moment of engagement of the clutch unit 46 the wire end portion 24 will be held by the uprased wire gripper in the position shown in Figure 4 and, as previously stated, the looper finger will be in the position shown in dotted outline in Figure 4 ready to take over the end of the wire as the gripper swings down across the plane of the slots 8i and 62 and releases the wire end.

The main gear 53 on shaft 26 will be in the position where the small group 55 of teeth is ready to move into engagement with gear 68 and the crank which controls-the shaft 04 by which oscillatory movementis transmitted to the arms I6, will be engaged approximately at the point i in the cam slot 58 of the auxiliary gear 54, as shown in Figures 5 and 18, where the lock arm will be engaged in a slot I8. The slot 04 of the twister disc will, of course, be directed downwardly as shown in Figure 24 and as previously stated.

When the clutch is engaged and the shaft 26 starts to turn the needles start to swing upwardly, the auxiliary gears 54 start to turn and cam 58 actuate the shaft 84 to release the divider unit lock arm I2 from the housing slot I4.

The gear segment of small group of teeth 55 upon the gear 53 engages the gear 68 and effects the rotation through the shaft 61 and the gear 66, of the twister disc through one-half revolution stopping the twister disc with the slot 64 thereof directed upwardly and forwardly as it is shown in Figure 14. The secured end 24 of the Wire will now lie in the bottom or crotch of the slot 64 below the line of the divider pin II. The cam slot 58 now shifts the divider unit outwardly again to move the lock am into the opposite slot H of the twister disc housing, withdrawing the divider pin from across the slot 64 and locking the twister disc against movement.

As soon asthe slot 64 of the twister disc has reached the upwardly directed position where it is in the plane of the slot 8|, the needle moves into the raised position shown in Figure 6, layins a portion of the wirein the slot 64 of the twister'disc, the needle passing through the plate 60, through the slot between the two parts 60aand 60b of the plate.

The continuously rotating auxiliary gear 54 now brings the cam slot 88 into the proper positionto actuate the arms 16 for the unlocking of the divider unit or disengagement of the looking arm 16 from the housing, which action projects the divider pin H across the slot 64 and locks the two crossed wires in the slot 64 as shown in Figure 6. In this figure it will be understood that the wires at the point of crossing are below the pin and in the inner end of the slot, the slot being directed upwardly and the position of the cam slot 68 shows it about to actuate the crank 85 to the position shown in Figure 9 to eflect the stated shitting oi the divider unit 10 inwardly to extend the pin ll across the slot ll.

Thetoothed or gear segment 51a now meshes with the mutilated gear 95 causing two actions to take place namely, the wire gripper starts to move from the position in which it is shown in Figure 13 over and down across the plane of the slots ll and 62 and across the periphery'of the looper ring 81, carrying with it the end of the wire 2|, In this movement the jaws of the gripper open at the proper moment to givethe end of the wire to the looper finger and the wire receiving jaw portion of the arm I04 stops across the slot 62 as shown in Figures 14 and 20. The second action occurring at the same time is that the looper ring starts to rotate as the gripper starts to swing down with the wire, moving the looper finger 90 upwardly toward the wire gripper from the position in which it is shown in Figure 13 and the finger takes the wire from the gripper as the jaws of the gripper open and the wire end is then securedacross the slot in which the looper finger oscillates, as shown in dotted outline in Figure 14. As will be readily understood from the description hereinbefore given this closing action of the looper finger upon the wire to secure it to the periphery of the ring gear 81 is accomplished through the medium of the cam groove 92 and the follower 91a engaged therein as shown in Figure 30. As will also be readily understood the cam groove'l89 effects the opening of the gripper jaw by its action upon the follower I08c.

During this action the crank 85 is engaged in the long straight portion a of the cam groove 58 so that the twister disc may be rotated at the proper moment.

' around the divider the needle bends the wire pin so that the free end of the wire is bent around the pin in one direction to form a loop and the needle carried portion of the wire is bent around the pin in the opposite direction to form a loop, as shown in Figure 8.

The gear segment portion 51a of the auxiliary gear 54 has now completed its function and is in the position shown in Figure 8, having cleared the mutilated gear 95.

The larger toothed gear portion 56 of the main gear 53 now comes into position as shown in Figure 8 to engage the mutilated gear 68 and impart, through the shaft 61 and the gear 65, a number of rapid rotations to the twister disc 63, thus twisting together two sides of each loop by the rapid rotation of the divider pin which passes through the looped ends of the wires, thus completing the joining of the two portions of the wire together as illustrated in Figure 10. The number of rotations imparted to the twister disc is regulated by the gear segment 55 to stop the disc with the slot 64 directed downwardly or in its initial position.

The wire ends have now beencoupled together and the twist or tie is ready to drop down through the slot it as soon as the divider pin H is withdrawn and this withdrawing action of the divider pin now occurs through theaction of the cam track 5| causing the control arms 16 to move outstarting its back swing wardly. At the same time gear segment 51 of the auxiliary gear 54 connects with the mutilated gear 95 to cause the looper ring to start moving back to its starting position and when this occurs the cam groove 82 actuates the looper finger 90 to release the wire and thus the coupled ends are allowed to drop from the position shown in Figure 10 to the top of the bale and the looper finger is moved back to its starting position, as it is illustrated in Figure 4.

Also occurring substantially simultaneously with the preceding action, when the gear segment 51 comes into operation, is the movement of the gripper back to its elevated position as shown in Figure 13, during which action it grips the wire previously laid across the gripping end portion of the arm I04 and cuts the wire between the twist or knot and the closed jaws, thereby severing the completed knot from the new end portion which is designated 24" and leaving this end portion securely grasped between the gripper jaws.

The needle or needles have by now returned to their normal lowered position as shown in full lines in Figure 1.

Referring again to Figure 18 in connection with Figures 4, 6, 8 and 10, at the start of operations the crank will be in the position shown at one end I of the oblique portion f of the cam track. Here the twister disc is held against turning but upon rotation of the cam track in the direction After the looper finger has taken the wire it performs approximately one-half revolution and stops in the position shown in Figure 8, meanwhile, retainlng its grip upon the end of the wire. This turning of the looper ring gives the wire a half twist around the divider pin. The wire gripper during this time has stopped, as previously stated, in the position shown in Figure 14.

The needle has started on its down or back swing and the wire receiving jaw portion of the gripper arm is positioned across the slot in time to have the wire drawn down across the arm as shown in Figures 8 and 14. At the same time in indicated by the arrow the crank will move into the straight portion e and will be turned to release the twister disc so that the disc can be given the previously stated halt turn. After this the crank will be actuated by the oblique portion d to lock the twister disc and during the period of its movement through the portion 0 0f the.

cam slot the crank will be in position to maintain the twister disc locked and the divider pin withdrawn. During this time the wire will be laid in the slot by the needle. The crank pin will then be moved through the oblique portion b into the longest portion a or the cam slot 58 thus unlockingthetwisterdiscandextendingthepinin 

